Thaw
by Rhasa aka Sarah
Summary: Can Josh and Donna survive a deep freeze?


Title: Thaw Author: Rhasa Rating: Pg13 Category: Drama/UST/RST (sorta) Disclaimer: J/D and the WW Never were and never will be mine. Also Queen not mine.  
  
Author's Note: This piece is extremely similar to an X File Fic called "Freeze" by Kelli Rocherolle, except Kelli's is much much better. Hers is archived at Gossamer if you are into The X Files. I suppose some would call it a rip off. Fact is I loved Kelli's work and this was one of my favourite stories of all times, so apologies to anyone who thinks I stole it. I just wanted to see what my Donna and Josh would do in a similar situation. I suppose it also answers the writer's block challenge as J and D are definitely out of the office.  
  
  
  
Is this the real life?  
  
Is this just fantasy?  
  
Caught in a landslide  
  
No escape from reality  
  
Open your eyes  
  
Look up to the skies and see  
  
I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy  
  
Because I'm easy come, easy go  
  
A little high, little low-  
  
Joshua Lyman took one look at the smiling face of Donatella Moss and shook his head. Glancing back at the snow covered road on which he was driving he thought to himself that he had never seen her so relaxed, despite the awful conditions they found themselves in. He silently cursed the weather. It had put him in a foul mood earlier, as it forced his flight back to D.C. to be grounded. The last thing he wanted to be doing right now was to be driving back to D.C. in the atrocious conditions, taking as many shortcuts as possible to ensure he would make his meeting with Senator Ryan, while listening to his assistant who seemed unperturbed by the day's events sing slightly off key to seventies tunes.  
  
"I can't believe you're a Queen fan," he looked over at her.  
  
"What? Oh Josh, They're a classic."  
  
"Yeah, I know, but Donna you were like what 5 when they recorded that."  
  
"I also like Meatloaf."  
  
"Get outta here."  
  
"I do. I always thought that they should make 'Bat out of Hell' into a stage show or something."  
  
"No way."  
  
"True. My favourite is Paradise by the Dashboard Light."  
  
Josh's eyebrows shot into the air. If he remembered correctly that particular song was about a couple getting busy in the back of a car. "You would have to have the most eclectic taste in music than anybody I know. How come I never hear that coming from your head phones at the White House instead of that other dribble?"  
  
"'Dido' is not "dribble" Josh."  
  
"Whatever."  
  
"Because I'm not very productive at work when I listen to Queen or Meatloaf and before you go ahead and make some ridiculous comment about just how productive I am when I'm not listening to them let me just warn you-"  
  
"Damn."  
  
Donna's words were cut short by Josh's curse. Looking towards the dash she saw numerous warning lights flashing.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Something's wrong with the car."  
  
"I can see that. What's wrong?"  
  
"I don't know. It just stopped."  
  
"I can see that too."  
  
Josh managed to pull the car over to the shoulder. After coming to a complete stop, he placed the car in neutral and tried the ignition once more. A splutter was the only response. Just another hiccup in what was fast turning out to be a disastrous day. They were stranded.  
  
"What do you think it is?"  
  
"I don't know but I'm going to take a look under the hood."  
  
"Josh? Do you know anything about cars?"  
  
"No, not really."  
  
"Well why look under the hood then?"  
  
"Because I'm an eternal optimist, Donna, and I'm hoping that if I look under there I will immediately see a sign saying broken here and know instantly how to fix it. Besides it's what every guy does."  
  
"Do you want me to try the auto club or the rental agency or someone?"  
  
"Please."  
  
The icy cold wind that blew through the car's interior when Josh opened the door sent a shiver down Donna's spine. She drew her coat tighter around herself and reached for her cell. Damn. No signal. Well that was just great.  
  
Winding down her window a crack, Donna yelled to her boss. "Josh I can't get a signal. How about yours?"  
  
"Yeah, hold on. OUCH!"  
  
Donna felt the shudder of Josh's body making impact with the front of the car.  
  
"Josh? Josh?"  
  
"Yeah. I just slipped. OWWWW."  
  
Opening the car door, Donna wondered for what be the millionth time why it seemed her boss couldn't do the simplest of things.  
  
"I think I've done some serious damage, Donna."  
  
"Is it broken?"  
  
"No. But I can't put any weight on it."  
  
"Here, put your arm around me."  
  
Hopping most ungracefully, Josh managed to make it back to the car with help from Donna. Instead of returning to the driver's side she led him directly to the backseat and shut the door with a vicious slam.  
  
"Owwww," Josh moaned.  
  
"Here let me take a look, Josh. Swing your foot up onto my lap."  
  
Josh did as she asked, too uncomfortable to argue. Donna made quick work of his laces and began to pull off his sock. Inspecting it for what seemed to Josh to be an eternity she finally rendered her verdict. "I think you've sprained it. It's already starting to bruise."  
  
"Great," an annoyed Josh started. "Just great. Could this day get any better? I mean it wasn't enough that the snow closed the airport. Now after fighting to get this damn car from the agency, we break down?"  
  
"How far was the last town?"  
  
"I don't know. It was a while back. Too far to walk."  
  
"What about the next town?"  
  
"Still at least half an hour away by car."  
  
"Well what about your cell? My didn't have a signal but-"  
  
"Already tried that. No signal."  
  
"Well I guess we just sit here and wait."  
  
********************************************************** Sometime later.  
  
"Alaska."  
  
"Alabama," she replied a little too enthusiastically for his liking, blowing into her hands to keep them warm. They had been playing this game for some time trying to keep their minds of the rapidly falling temperature inside the car.  
  
"Arkansas," he sighed.  
  
"South Dakota."  
  
"Now we're back to the A's again," he whined while trying to suppress the chatter of his teeth.  
  
"Well I can't help that, Josh. South Dakota and South Carolina both end in 'A'."  
  
"Yeah and so does Arizona. What is it with all the 'A's anyway?"  
  
She rolled her eyes as he complained for the umpteenth time. "Well, take the last letter of South in South Dakota then. 'H'," she replied in a huffed voice.  
  
"Aaaahhhh, Hawaii," he said with a grin.  
  
"Oh god, what I would give to be in Hawaii right now," she sighed.  
  
Josh looked at her, noted the paleness of her skin and the light blue tinge of her lips and felt a little guilty. Not only had his impatience somewhat got them into this mess, but he'd never actually taken her to Hawaii, a place he very much longed to be right now. She had done one hell of a job keeping his mind off the cold, even if it was with the insane little games she liked to play.  
  
"Warm sand," he sighed.  
  
"Nothing but sunshine," she smiled.  
  
"So hot, you'd have to cool yourself down with a swim."  
  
"Lounging by the pool, drinking cocktails."  
  
"Mmmmm Hawaii." he sighed.  
  
She was quiet for a minute, and Josh really wanted to know what she was thinking. He was worried about her. She looked extremely cold. Up until half an hour ago, her face had a rosy hue to it, her nose and cheeks stained with a bright red flush that deep down inside made Josh think she looked adorable. Now that was gone and the deepening pale of her alabaster skin was beginning to indicate just cool it was getting. Apart from that she would have bursts of energy and then long silences. She was becoming somewhat irrational at times - irrational even for Donna. That and the constant headache she kept complaining about had Josh very very worried.  
  
"Iowa," she finally said with a deep yawn, before Josh had the chance to change the subject.  
  
"Urrrrrrgggghhhhhhh. The 'A's, Donna. The 'A's again."  
  
"Okay, okay. I'll change mine. Not Iowa. Um..."  
  
"Not Indiana, either," he said with a growl.  
  
"Okay, then Idaho."  
  
"Ohio."  
  
"Oklahom- um, no. Oregon," she said quickly.  
  
"Now we're talking. New York New York What a Wonderful town!!!!!!!!!" He burst into song.  
  
"Okay, now I know you've truly lost it, Josh."  
  
"Hah hah. Your turn."  
  
"Kansas."  
  
"Kentucky," he smirked.  
  
She thought for a moment or two. "Well, you did it again. You beat me. I can't go. And it always ends with Kentucky."  
  
"Yep. It always ends with Kentucky," he sighed.  
  
"Wanna do state flowers?" She asked. Still a little too eager for his liking.  
  
"No."  
  
"I know, we can play popular names of states. Did you know that Utah is the Beehive State-"  
  
"Donna-" he said turning to face her.  
  
"Or that both Florida and South Dakota claim the title of the Sunshine State-"  
  
"Donna, we have to talk about this." He raised his arm and rubbed his neck.  
  
"And Missouri is the Show Me State-"  
  
"Donna-" he grew annoyed.  
  
"Of course, Wisconsin is the Badger State-"  
  
"Donna, stop." She was starting again. "And Connecticut you know is the Constitution State-"  
  
"No more, Donna," his impatience made him yell.  
  
"And Illinois is the Land of Lincoln-"  
  
"We gotta make a decision here."  
  
"No we don't, Josh. Someone will be along any minute now."  
  
"Donna, it's been hours. The wind's picked up. Visibility is near nil. I think we have to-"  
  
"No. Absolutely not, Josh. We are not leaving this car. You hear me? We are NOT leaving this car!"  
  
"Donna-"  
  
"I mean it, Josh. All of the wilderness prep guides, first aid books even, all of them say, when you are caught in a blizzard you should find shelter and stay put. Well this is shelter, Josh. We should stay here and someone will come and get us out."  
  
"But Donna, the car is hardly visible under all this snow. You could go for help."  
  
"No," she said defiantly, turning away from him.  
  
"I can't walk on my ankle. You could get out of here though."  
  
"I'm not leaving you. And I'm not leaving this car."  
  
He moved to turn her face towards his, to convince her that his way was for the best. Cupping her chin in his hand, he angled himself to look into her eyes and saw only tears there. She looked straight back at him seemingly unafraid that he would see her fear, her blue eyes filling up and finally brimming over as he sat and watched.  
  
"I'm not leaving this car, Josh. I can't," she sobbed while wiping the falling tears from her cheek.  
  
Josh felt like an ass. She couldn't leave the car, she was too afraid, and really, he didn't blame her.  
  
Pulling her into a hug he held her as she cried. "Okay, okay. We'll stay," he whispered. For now he said, silently to himself.  
  
  
  
Later still.  
  
"Donna. Donna? Come on, Donna. Wake up. It's your turn."  
  
"Mmmmmmmm. Too sleepy."  
  
"No, Donna. You gotta wake up." Josh reached out of the relative warmth of his coat which he had blanketed across their laps and flicked on the car's interior light. He softly grasped Donna's tender jaw in his gloved hand and turned it towards him. Her skin was pale, her lips slightly blue, and her breathing which had slowed considerably, was scaring him half to death.  
  
"Donna. Donna? Donna, come on. You're scaring me."  
  
Donna mumbled something softly like"soorrrrrrreee"  
  
Taking his glove off, he felt her cheek. It was like ice. She was definitely suffering from hyperthermia. Think, Josh, think.  
  
"Don't worry, Donna. I'm going to take care of you."  
  
She felt heavy. There was a roar in her ear. Something soft tickled her stomach. These were the first thoughts Donna could acknowledge as she began to wake. She felt like some incredible weight had descended upon her, a loud roar ran through her ear while warming it at the same time, and she needed to scratch whatever it was that was irritating her stomach, in a ticklish kind of way.  
  
Turning her face slightly, she noticed something incredibly soft against her cheek. It was nice to be awake but it was just as nice to be asleep and so Donna lifted her hand to adjust her makeshift pillow of unknown origin in order to drift into slumber once again.  
  
Prodding the soft lumps, she was surprised to feel it move against her.  
  
"Oh God, Donna. You had me scared half to death."  
  
"Josh?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Why are we naked?"  
  
"We're not naked. You still have your bra and pants on. I still have my pants on."  
  
"Why are we together like this then?"  
  
"You were suffering from hypothermia, Donna. I couldn't wake you. I had to get you warm. So I did what the scouts tell us."  
  
"Which is what?"  
  
"Share body heat. I took off your top layers and my top layers and held you with our clothes on the top. Don't you feel warmer?"  
  
"Yeah I guess."  
  
"Good." He sighed a nervous sigh. "I wasn't sure if it was going to work."  
  
"I kept hearing a roar in my ear."  
  
"I was blowing in it."  
  
"You were blowing in my ear?"  
  
"Yeah to keep you warm."  
  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
"I'm sorry Donna, but I was desperate. You wouldn't answer me then you wouldn't wake up. I don't believe I'm saying this, but I never want you to stop talking to me ever again. If there was any other way."  
  
"No. No, thank you, Josh. I'm sure you were doing the right thing."  
  
"Are you sure, because when you just woke up you didn't sound as if you were too happy-"  
  
"No. it's just that . well for a moment there. I thought I was having another one of those dreams again. Thank you."  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Maybe we should let go now."  
  
"No. We still need to stay warm, and besides untangling ourselves won't be easy I've buttoned our shirts together, see?"  
  
"I'm impressed, Josh."  
  
"You are?"  
  
"Yeah. I mean here is a guy who can't unstick the drawer in his desk, or who repeatedly manages to fling the top filing cabinet drawer half way across the office, but he somehow manages to save his assistant from dying of hypothermia."  
  
"Well I can be resourceful when the situation calls for it."  
  
"Speaking of resourceful, my foot has gone to sleep, Josh. Do you think we could change positions or move around a bit to get more comfortable?"  
  
"Yeah, just watch my- OOOWWW!"  
  
"Sorry."  
  
"-ankle."  
  
After many curses and apologies trying to find a comfortable position while being 'buttoned' to your assistant was proving nearly impossible. Frustrated with making little progress, Josh took the bull by the horns so to speak and pulled an alarmed Donna straight into his lap. She was now face to face with Josh, her legs straddling his hips, her arms came up around his shoulders.  
  
"Josh!" she let out a squeak of surprise.  
  
"I'm sorry, Donna. It just isn't going to work any other way. I promise, it's not what it looks like."  
  
"Oh?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah. But you got to admit, it is a hell of a lot warmer this way."  
  
Donna relaxed a bit and realised the truth in his words. The heat they were now sharing front-to-front made her feel much better. Enjoying the warmth, she unconsciously rubbed her chest against his.  
  
"Donna!"  
  
"Sorry, Josh. It's just that you are. you know. warm." Donna looked around, a little embarrassed in her current position but comfortable nonetheless. Biting her lip in slight nervousness she asked, "Josh? Did you really blow in my ear to warm me up?"  
  
Josh hung his head. He hadn't really thought about what he was doing when he had done that. It had all seemed so natural with her so close to him and his nose buried in her hair. Perhaps he shouldn't have taken advantage of her in that way, but if he really thought about it there were no ulterior motives at the time. "Hey it worked for the Fonz. He used to get all the girls hot and bothered just by blowing in their ears."  
  
"Hot and bothered hey?" she smiled awkwardly, the gears in her head spinning furiously. Looking up through her lashes she seemed kind of shy and uncertain. "Maybe we should.?" she asked.  
  
A wide eyed expression flashed across Josh's face before it was replaced with a grin. "Maybe we should," he said cautiously.  
  
"You know, just to, get warm," she explained.  
  
"A survival tactic so to speak," he managed in a business tone.  
  
"Absolutely," she nodded. "We wouldn't have to go very far, just enough to warm ourselves up a bit."  
  
"Just enough to raise our body temperatures," he nodded back at her.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
They looked at one another for several long moments uncertain as to what the next move should be. Then Josh brought his hand up to cup Donna's face. She nuzzled her cheek into his palm, while bringing her arms up around his neck, causing their chests to come in contact once again.  
  
"You know, it has been scientifically proven that skin on skin contact has medicinal benefits," Donna began as Josh tilted her head to the side and sank his nose into her hair, his breath against her neck already causing a shiver to run down her spine.  
  
"Premature babies are now treated with what is called 'kangarooing'-" she began, but Josh's nose nuzzling her ear caused her to gasp and break off her sentence. She sighed deeply, the sound bringing a small smile to Josh's face. If he made her feel like this with just the briefest of contacts then he deserved to be called 'da man.  
  
"Babies born prematurely. they um. they need warmth and um."  
  
Josh enjoying this far too much for his own good decided to further his exploration. He flicked his tongue out to caress the outer rim of Donna's ear while his hands moved under their joined shirts and firmly grasped her hips. Donna unable to sit still threaded her hands threw Josh's hair and scratched it lightly with her fingernails.  
  
"They need warmth. and despite a Humi crib providing the right temp, studies have shown that those babies. ah Josh," she sighed deeply as Josh began to lightly kiss and suckle his way down from her ear to her carotid artery.  
  
"Studies. studies have shown that those babies who were placed next to the skin of their parents or carers inside their shirts for an hour a day." This time Josh interrupted Donna with a deep moan as she wiggled and squirmed on his lap from the delicious suction he was applying to her neck.  
  
"These babies who were 'kangarooed' suffered fewer developmental delays and gained weight quicker than those who weren't kangarooed."  
  
Donna took her turn at nibbling on Josh's neck. The warm stubble of his chin was soft and scratchy against her cheek. She could feel the air in the car already starting to heat up. If they weren't already obscured by banked up snow she knew the windows would be covered in steam and it had only been a short time since they had started all this. She raised herself up slightly to get better access only to have Josh's hands push her hips back down, except this time straight onto his erection.  
  
Donna stilled herself, a little surprised, while Josh let out half hiss, half groan and plunged his tongue into her ear, causing her to squirm again and rub against his length.  
  
"Of course," she began picking up where she left off, "some call it 'pouching' instead of 'kangarooing'."  
  
This time, finding their way into her hair, Josh's hands firmly cupped her face and brought her to look right into his eyes.  
  
"I should have known," he said unable to hide the desire in his eyes.  
  
"Should have known, what?" she whispered, noting his hooded eyes and shallow breaths.  
  
"That you couldn't do this without talking."  
  
"I was talking?" she smiled.  
  
"Donna, you're always talking," he grinned.  
  
"Well then, I guess you are going to have to find a way to shut me-" she started only to be silenced by Josh with a deep kiss.  
  
Kissing Josh was like plunging into a deep warm pool. She felt alive and energised, invigorated and sleepy all at the same time. Their tongues played forcefully with each other, and Donna wasn't sure if her lips would come out of this unscathed or whether there would be bruises later on, but she didn't care. This was the best feeling in the world. And judging by the moans and groans coming from Josh, he wasn't complaining either.  
  
Desperately needing air, Josh broke their kiss only to return his lips to her neck a second later. He nibbled and sucked once again and it made her crazy. She could feel the tension building in her body and if he kept it up she would be screaming for release soon enough. Unable to help herself she began rubbing herself against him, which only served to make his nibbles even more frenzied.  
  
"God you're beautiful," he sighed against her flesh.  
  
Feeling a long overdue tightening inside, Donna fought earnestly against the torturous ripples between her legs. "Josh," she sighed, half wishing that he would be the strong one and break it off before things went too far. "Oh God," she whispered as she was pulled further and further towards release.  
  
Totally overcome with desire, Donna reached down between their bodies and cupped him through the material of his trousers. Feeling somewhat encouraged, Josh reached his hand under her shirt again and found her nipples through the material of her bra.  
  
"That's funny, I thought you would have been warm by now," he said as he brushed his thumb across the taut peaks.  
  
"I'm not warm," she said.  
  
"No?"  
  
"No. I'm on fire," she said as she kissed him once more and reached for his zipper.  
  
Donna felt that she absolutely had to get closer to him. She didn't just want him skin on skin next to her. She wanted him inside of her. What had started out as a kind of game had quickly turned into something else; something that she had dreamt about for a long long time. Her eagerness caused trouble when it came to loosen his belt, but luckily Josh was there to lend a hand, literally.  
  
She couldn't help but feel nervous as well as excited as she began to move his pants down. She knew that this was a big step and she knew that he knew it was a big step. Still, he wasn't objecting. Instead, he seemed just as eager as she did as her brushed his fingers over her pants between her legs, and like her moments before, began to draw her zipper down.  
  
Donna closed her eyes. They were so close now. Soon Josh was going to be touching her exactly like the way he did in her dreams. Soon she would hear his sigh and maybe something like-  
  
"Hey! Anybody in there? Highway Patrol."  
  
Both Josh and Donna froze. They had been so preoccupied that they hadn't heard the approaching vehicle. Scrambling to make themselves decent was proving to be extremely difficult since Josh had buttoned their shirts together. Thank goodness the snow was piled so high against the car that it took a few moments for the trooper to clear a spot to look in through the window. By the time he peered in, Joshua Lyman and his assistant had composed themselves enough to seem like normal stranded people.  
  
Josh reached over and wound the window down. "Thank goodness you're here, officer."  
  
"Are you Josh Lyman?"  
  
"Yes, sir I am."  
  
"I had word come all the way from the White house to look for you. Are you in need of assistance?"  
  
"Yes," Donna said. "Yes we are. Our car has broken down and Mr Lyman has injured his ankle."  
  
"Very well. Leave the car here and come with me to the station. We will make alternative arrangements once we get there as well as get a doctor to look at you."  
  
"Thank you," Josh said as he made a move to get out of the car, but not before turning to Donna, while the trooper took the bags from the now opened trunk. "Donna-" he began.  
  
"Don't worry about it, Josh. Now is not the time to talk about it."  
  
"But Donna-"  
  
"Don't worry," she tried to allay his fears. "We will definitely talk about this. Preferably, at my place. Since, after all, my thermostat is broken."  
  
And with that she leant up and gave him a quick kiss, her eyes telling him that this was far from over.  
  
The End.  
  
Feedback Rhasa4@yahoo.com 


End file.
